The case cited above was a situation where the Japanese believed that they were racially discriminated by the United States, a Western country. Ozawa had lived in the United States for twenty years and was now applying for citizenship by naturalization.
His race disqualified him from attaining citizenship because, according to the Supreme Court, he did not fall into the Caucasian race. Ozawa challenged thisby describing himself as a "free white person" who was qualified by law to attain citizenship.
